The real estate market is not the most predictable of markets. There are days that it will be raining listings, and there are days when all you can see on your front lawn is sunshine. When you decide to sell your house, you may want to consider doing some repairs before putting it up for sale.
1. Make Sure the Roof Is in Good Condition
If your roof is old and needs some heavy-duty work, it might be best to hold off on putting up your house for sale. If you don’t, you could lose a significant amount of cash during the process and may not get as much as you expected. Make sure that your roof is in good working order before setting an asking price on the real estate market.
2. Fix Any Plumbing Issues
One big thing that can turn away potential buyers is bad water heater or sewer line issues. Whatever bathroom fixtures are outdated will also deter buyers from purchasing as well as those who want something safer than an electric stovetop for cooking dinner every night. So if the toilet runs when you flush it, or the sewer line is in bad condition, these are things you need to fix before setting an asking price.
3. Repair Any Electrical Issues
This is another major factor that can cause people to look elsewhere. If the wiring in your home is old, it might be best to have an electrician come in and update any electrical issues before putting it out on the market. If you don’t, buyers may not want to take a risk when purchasing when they know that there are dangers of fires or electrocution. You also need to make sure that all lights work when showing off your house to potential buyers because this will give them the impression that you care about the state of your house.
4. Get Rid Of Clutter
You might think that having pictures of your family in every room is cute but remember, you are trying to sell something here — not a photographer’s portfolio. You need to remove any pictures that are too personal and also get rid of anything else that takes away from the space to show off your floor plan. Buyers want to be able to imagine what it would look like if they were living in the house, so you have to take out anything that can block their view or imagination.
5. Paint The Inside of the House
This may seem like a no-brainer, but one thing you don’t want to hear from potential buyers is that your carpet smells. If you have had pets in the past or if there are just too many things that smell, try to get rid of them as much as possible before putting up your house for sale. You also need to paint all walls — not just those that people can see when they first walk through the threshold. Anything extra costs money, so clean out any unnecessary items and cover up stains with new paint. Potential buyers will appreciate this effort, and it may be the reason why they choose your home over another one on the market instead of getting someone else’s “hands me down.”
6. Get Rid Of Pest Infestation
When you are showing off your home to potential buyers, you don’t want them to see the way your bedroom looks because it is filled with bugs. Get rid of any pest infestation in the house before putting it on the market so that people will be more inclined to purchase. You really need to keep this up after selling as well because if there are pests remaining in the house, you could find yourself with an unexpected problem later down the road.
7. Fix Any Issues With Floorboards or Floors
If you have carpet in one room and hardwood floors in another (or worse, anywhere else), then you need to repair whatever area has either floorboards are coming loose or whatever might even cause someone to trip when they walk. In addition to this, if your floorboards are crooked or uneven, people will not feel safe walking on them, so it is best to have a reputable company come in and fix these problems before putting the house up.
The final thing you need to do after repairing everything mentioned here is to update your asking price accordingly. If you had to spend a lot of money for certain repairs, then expect that number to go up once you factor those costs into your new asking price.
By following the tips mentioned above, sellers can spare themselves from having buyers look elsewhere because their house just wasn’t quite what they were looking for. This helps peace in the real estate market as well as saves homeowners from having to lower their original price later down the road when
